On December $31,2023,$ Dow Steel Corporation had $690,000$ shares of common stock and $309,000$ shares of $9\%,$ noncumulative,

nonconvertible preferred stock issued and outstanding.

Dow issued a $5\%$ common stock dividend on May $15$ and paid cash dividends of $$490,000$ and $$78,000$ to common and

preferred shareholders, respectively, on December $15,2024.$

On February $28,2024,$ Dow sold $56,000$ common shares.

In keeping with its long$-$term share repurchase plan, $5,000$ shares were retired on July $1.$

Dow's net income for the year ended December $31,2024,$ was $$2,550,000.$ The income tax rate is $25\%.$

As part of an incentive compensation plan, Dow granted incentive stock options to division managers on December $31$ of the

current and each of the previous two years.

Each option permits its holder to buy one share of common stock at an exercise price equal to market value at the date of grant

and can be exercised one year from that date.

Information concerning the number of options granted and common share prices follows:

The market price of the common stock averaged $$32$ per share during $2024.$

Required:

Compute Dow's earnings per share for the year ended December $31,2024.$

Note: Do not round intermediate calculations. Except for per share amounts, enter your answers in thousands $($i$.$e$.,10,000$ should

be entered as $10).$ Round "Earnings per share" answer to $2$ decimal places.